Kitchen Christianity: Fruity Generosity

I clipped a funny little quote from a magazine and had it on my fridge for many years. It read:

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.

Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad!

Kids have a lot of fun figuring out that many “vegetables” are actually fruit – like peppers, squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes!

Picture salads!

Make a garden salad (or a picture salad) together. It’s a great time to talk about:

What makes a fruit, a fruit?

The definition of fruit: the part of a plant that holds the seed

What parts of plants do we eat?

roots – carrots / leaves – lettuce / flowers – broccoli / fruit – tomatoes

AND about how amazingly generous God is!

When He created plants, He went over-the-top with lavish generosity.

How do we see this generosity?

Start counting the seeds inside fruit!

Talk about how each seed can grow a whole new plant… and each plant can grow lots more fruit.

Here are some things to try:

A Short Project: Counting Seeds

Try this with snap peas.

One pea plant can grow at least 15 pods. Count out 15 pods.

Open them up and pick out the seeds.

For young children, just comment on the WOW factor of how many seeds grew from one plant, and how each one could grow into a new plant.

They may like to eat these seeds separately in a special bowl.

For older children, have them count the seeds and see how many new plants could have grown from just one seed. WOW!

A Long Project: Planting a Seed

Try this with a pea or bean seed.

If you don’t have garden seeds handy, any type of dry bean can work. I usually use dry kidney beans for this activity because of their large size.

Loosely wrap a pea or bean seed in a damp paper towel and put it in a baggie. Don’t completely zip the bag closed. Seeds need air to sprout!

Check it each day and make sure it stays warm and moist. Your child can guess which part of the seed will grow first – roots or leaves?

It's Sprouting!

After the seed has sprouted its first two leaves, it can be transplanted into dirt. It will need support as it grows taller.

The First Bean Pod!

It will take a couple months, but eventually the pods will arrive!

Keep track as you pick the pods… How many seeds came from just one seed?

Review

God is SO generous! He made each plant capable of making SO many more plants! He created plants to fill up the Earth AND to be food for us and for animals too!

Can you think of other things God created that show His generosity?

Examples:          

• You can breathe as much air as you want, and the Earth won’t run out.

• The sun shines in all directions, not just on the Earth.

  
  

Challenge Thinking Question: 

When the Bible says, “Be fruitful,” what does it mean?    

Challenge Math Question: (for older children)

• How many apples grow on an average tree in a year?

• How many years does an apple tree usually grow apples?

• Multiply – How many apples could a tree grow?

• Now cut an apple open. How many seeds are inside?

• Multiply – How many new trees could one apple tree make?

And after all that counting… You should probably enjoy a fruit salad, too!!